1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to motor vehicle antenna mounts, and particularly to a device which permits an antenna to be mounted centrally over the roof of a motor vehicle in such a manner that the antenna can be lowered when necessary to prevent the antenna from striking overhead objects such as bridges, trees, garage openings, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The current boom in the so-called "Citizens Band" (CB) transceivers for use with motor vehicles has created a problem regarding the mounting of the antenna necessary to achieve maximum range of the radio gear. If the maximum permissible height of an antenna is exploited, the height of the antenna above the roof of the motor vehicle is such as to be in the path of garage doors, low lying branches, bridges, and other similar overhead obstructions. Further, it is generally desirable to mount the antenna as close as possible to the center of the vehicle in order to assure optimum reception. The latter criteria makes the antenna height even more critical, since if the ideal location for mounting an antenna is on the roof of a vehicle, as high as possible, the possibility of an antenna of a given length being in the path of overhead obstructions is greatly increased.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,408,652, issued Oct. 29, 1968 to J. H. Allisbaugh; 3,230,533, issued Jan. 18, 1966 to R. J. Brill; 2,313,652, issued Mar. 9, 1943 to H. J. Lyman; 2,479,379, issued Aug. 16, 1949 to H. E. F. C. Lingenbrink; 2,214,685, issued Sept. 10, 1940 to L. Stone, Jr.; and 3,928,952, issued Dec. 30, 1975 to T. P. Whyte, all disclose motor vehicle antennas constructed for being moved between a stored position and an operative position. Of these prior art devices, only U.S. Pat. No. 2,214,685 permits the antenna to be mounted centrally of the roof of a vehicle, but such mounting is achieved only by modification of the vehicle's roof by the making of holes in the roof in order to secure bolts, and the like, which anchor the antenna mount. Such modification of the vehicle is, of course, very undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,741, issued Apr. 24, 1973 to O. O. Otto, discloses an automobile antenna support in the form of an arcuate strip of material clamped to the gutters bordering the roof of a motor vehicle so as to be clamped across the roof of the motor vehicle and permit an antenna mounted on the arcuate strip of material to be located substantially centrally of the vehicle's roof. No provision is made, however, for raising and lowering the antenna mounted on the arcuate strip of material.